An Essex Wedding news and ideas from around the county

From big celebrations to budget savvy: the changing face of UK weddings

At a time of rising costs and changing perspectives, is the sound of wedding bells as tempting as it once was? To find out, Legal & General polled more than 2,000 married and engaged couples to see if they opted for a big wedding – or a big rethink. A 2024 survey revealed the average cost of a UK wedding has risen to £20,700, marking a 12.5% increase from £18,400 in 2022. Despite this, our survey found that couples typically budget much less, with the average amount set aside being just under £9,000 (£8,997.32). There was also a stark difference in wedding budgets across generations. Younger couples, particularly those aged 16-24, budget an average of £14,937 for their special day, while those over 55 set aside £4,614.

Top tips to get to sleep before your wedding

Pre-wedding jitters cause a large number of brides and grooms to struggle to get to sleep. Upcoming nuptials, even if a positive stress, can be a leading cause of sleepless nights. Sleep expert Dr Deborah Lee gives advice to those Brides- to- be who are struggling in the lead- up to their big day, and gives top tips on how to improve their sleep. As a bride, you face an immense amount of stress, especially in the final days that countdown to your wedding. With plenty of last minute preparations that are trying to please everyone, it's easy to let yourself get swept up and forget to prioritise your sleep. Sleep expert Dr Deborah Lee from Doctor Fox, has partnered with Get Laid Beds to share FIVE expert tips to ensure you wake up on your wedding day like a princess, feeling refreshed and radiant, and not like a bridezilla.

Pop + Bark is back

Set to get tails wagging, the paws are back in town as the UK's most talked about dog event lands back in the heart of the Essex countryside at luxury property Down Hall Hotel, Spa & Estate on Sunday 15th September – this time welcoming charming corgis and energetic cocker spaniels for the very first time, as well as cute dachshunds.

County Wedding Events coming to Lympne Castle, Kent!

If you're newlyweds-to-be embarking on your wedding planning journey, pop along to the County Wedding Events wedding show at Lympne Castle, Kent, for inspiration on Sunday 15th September 2024! Sister company to County Wedding Magazines, the event brings couples that are desperate for face-to-face wedding planning in touch with local professionals who are on hand to help plan the wedding day. From photographers to cake makers, musicians to florists you're sure to tick a lot off of your to-do list by attending one of our County Wedding Events.

Colchester's favourite ice cream flavour

The experts at QR Code Generator have analysed Google search data for 106 different ice cream flavours across each UK city. Flavours include raspberry ripple, cookie dough, espresso, pina colada, vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, earl grey, banoffee, watermelon, rum raisin, bacon, and more. The experts also analysed 31 ice cream brands, including Magnum, Ben & Jerry's, Walls, Hackney Gelato, Gelato Italia, Haagen Dazs, Halo Top, Mackies of Scotland and Kellys Cornish.

Alcohol-free options for weddings with Mocktails

For those looking for booze-free options this wedding season, Mocktails Uniquely Crafted, is the non-alcoholic premium cocktail brand perfect for big-day guests! The alcohol-free, ready-to-drink beverages are perfect for those looking to offer a range of beverages at their wedding. Mocktails showcase a delectable collection of flavours, each carefully crafted with the finest ingredients, spices, and botanicals sourced from around the world. Mockarita - A zesty twist on the classic Margarita. Notes of lime, quinine and acacia flower with a refreshingly tart finish. Here at County Wedding Magazines HQ we're finding it hard to choose our favourite... Mocksow Mule anyone?

Autumnal fragrances from Woodwick and Yankee Candle

Connect to nature with scents and colours drawn from the breathtaking outdoors with the cosy new Autumn collection from Yankee Candle®, Cottage Getaway. Inspired by the nostalgic roots of outdoor adventures, and the natural beauty of our world, the collection seeks to spark creativity and inspiration, whilst bringing family and friends together. Launching in August 2024, the collection includes three warming fragrances, Woodland Weekend Memories, Pumpkin Cinnamon Swirl, and Afternoon Scrapbooking. This comforting selection of candles is perfect for reliving cherished moments at home as the late summer falls away and the new season settles n. Relax into Autumn with fragrances that ignite the senses, whilst the bright greens fade from the leaves and dusk draws in earlier by the day.

CWM partnership with Maya Deluxe and Dower & Hall for an exciting prize giveaway!

County Wedding Magazines has teamed up with Maya Deluxe and Dower & Hall for an exciting prize giveaway for our reader and social media followers! If you like or follow all three brands on either Facebook or Instagram, you'll be in with a chance of winning a £350 Dower & Hall gift voucher which can be redeemed online, as well as a £250 gift voucher for Maya Deluxe – that's jewellery and bridesmaids sorted for your wedding day leaving you more time and more budget to crack on with the rest of the wedding planning. Read on to find out more details about the brands and how to enter!

Make a statement this summer with South Beach!

South Beach is making waves this summer with their latest core collection really heating things up! Elevate your holiday wardrobe instantly with this season's must-have prints, luxurious fabrics and flattering silhouettes. Why not mix and match your South Beach favourites to create a cute, customised look? Whatever you choose, South Beach offers the perfect blend of confidence, comfort and cutting-edge style! Whether you're lounging poolside, hitting the beach or making the most of sunsets with your friends, South Beach has every look to match your holiday vibe.

County Wedding Events coming to Cave Hotel, Kent!

If you're newlyweds-to-be embarking on your wedding planning journey, pop along to the County Wedding Events wedding show at The Cave Hotel, Kent, for inspiration on Sunday 8th September 2024! Sister company to County Wedding Magazines, the event brings couples that are desperate for face-to-face wedding planning in touch with local professionals who are on hand to help plan the wedding day. From photographers to cake makers, musicians to florists you're sure to tick a lot off of your to-do list by attending one of our County Wedding Events. A day to remember - a stylish sanctum that seamlessly blends a high-end contemporary look with a laid-back and welcoming approach, The Cave is not just a venue, getting married here is a truly holistic experience where you and your guests take center stage. You would be able to relax, eat, celebrate and sleep better than you ever have before; there really is nowhere quite like it.

‘Race4Grace’ car rally

Two men are taking on a European car rally through nine countries, dressed as lifeguards in a car bought for £650 to help raise funds for a Colchester girl with a rare genetic condition. John Everett, 42, a vehicle body repairer who lives in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex and Rich Lessemun, 46, an HGV driver who lives in Boxford, Suffolk, met at a Classic VW car club and are taking part in the Two Ball Banger Rally through nine countries in four days, starting in France on August 15.

Golden hour - Tan edit!

BPerfect Cosmetics has launched their new Golden Hour Travel Sets, the ultimate summer sets with a collection of travel essentials! Arrive at destination bronzed before stepping on the plane with the Golden Hour - Tan Edit! A summer set with a collection of must-have travel essentials for a sunkissed glow! Featuring the award-winning Instant Bronze Boost Gel Drops, Mini Empress Base & Body Brush, plus two new products: The new Body Talk Liquid Lustre Travel Mini and new One Hour Express Passion Fruit Tanning Mousse! All packaged in an exclusive silver holographic travel bag!

Visit a Signature Wedding Show to win a mini-break with Classic Lodges

County Wedding Events, in association with Classic Lodges, is offering two overnight stays for two people to include a glass of Lanson Champagne on arrival, a three-course dinner and either a full English Breakfast or continental. What's more, the break can be taken at any Classic Lodges-owned property! Visitors must pre-register and attend a Signature Wedding Show to have the chance to win a mini-break courtesy of Classic Lodges. Terms and conditions apply.

Instant photos make for lasting memories!

poignant keepsake for guests or a photo album. Instant photos make for lasting memories! The INSTAX mini 12 (£79.99) is the perfect product for guest use. Place on tables or dot them around the venue to allow for guests to personalise their memories, and most importantly, take them home. The INSTAX mini Evo (£174.99) is another great option for capturing what's important. The retro-themed exterior is fitting for those vintage-themed weddings – place next to the guest book so photos can be added straight in. The INSTAX SQUARE (£129.99) is a modern option for those photographic keepsakes. Connect the devise to phones and print polaroid straight from the camera roll. Instant photos are irreplaceable.

Battleswick Farm - Be inspired!

This styled shoot was inspired by American filmmaker, Wes Anderson, whose films are known for their eccentricity, unique visual and narrative styles, Battleswick Farm was the perfect backdrop! Jodie from Ella Bella Events created a styled shoot at the picturesque Battleswick Farm. She says, "Caroline at Caroline Versallion Bridal sent me these beautifully unique dresses which were, in her words, Wes Anderson inspired and that was the start of the shoot.

Elope in style - expert advice

Couples are rewriting the script on what it means to say "I do". Over the past 12 months, searches for 'elopement weddings UK' are up +83%, 'elopement wedding packages UK' increased by +85%, and 'intimate weddings UK' have grown by +89%¹. This has highlighted a clear demand amongst couples for intimate weddings. To find out what has motivated this trend, wedding decoration experts at Ginger Ray have conducted a survey of those engaged and in the midst of planning an elopement to see what their special day will look like. Why are elopements becoming more popular? Topping the list of factors driving couples towards intimate weddings is the quest to manage expenses. More than a third (32%) of respondents highlighted financial constraints as the primary factor influencing their decision to opt for a smaller celebration.

Say yes to saving for the big day - Top tips from Rathbones

Top tips from Kindar Brown, Senior Financial Planner at Rathbones Group Plc on budgeting together for the important day. A wedding is the beginning of a new chapter and likely one of the most important days of your life. While the day itself should be full of joy and stress free, a lot of our time and money goes into pre-wedding planning, to make sure this is the case. The cost of living crisis and sticky inflation are impacting prices across the board and wedding suppliers are no exception. For those gearing up for their wedding day, Kindar shares her top tips for anyone putting a budget together for that important day.

Greenwoods Hotel & Spa host celebrity afternoon tea

Multi award winning Greenwoods Hotel and Spa in Stock Essex hosted some important guests for afternoon tea this month: celebrity vegan pastry chef and author Danielle Maupertuis with her guest Karin Ridgers of Veggie Vision TV channel and autism activist, broadcaster and fundraiser Dr Anna Kennedy OBE who visited with her friend Steven Smith, celebrity make up artist and writer.

Most popular TikTok wedding car revealed

Gone are the days of a horse-drawn carriage or a Rolls Royce pulling up to the wedding chapel, now it's all about modern cars! Couples across the UK are planning their dream weddings, with a twist. Searches for 'modern wedding cars' have surged by 60% in the last month according to Google Trends, signalling a shift from traditional vintage choices to sleek, contemporary vehicles that add a touch of modern elegance to the special day. ATS Euromaster, the tyre, MOT and vehicle services provider, has analysed TikTok hashtags and trends to reveal the changing popularity of wedding cars, both vintage and modern. Additionally, ATS has estimated rental costs for three-hour periods to help couples choose the perfect car for their special day.

Surprise guests with a champagne tower!

Surprise guests with a champagne tower! Beautiful wedding venue, Houchins, now offers a champagne tower which is proving very popular - and is a great photo opportunity! Why not add this to your package to kick off the reception drinks or to welcome evening guests. Or whenever the happy couple would like. Houchins will construct the champagne tower in the perfect position with 55 glasses for £150 (champagne not included - but it can be added to a drinks package or they can pay corkage - however they would like to do it). The couple can then of course pour the champagne and get the bubbles flowing!